The IOC on Friday served an ultimatum to India, saying that "the country will be de-recognised if the Indian Olympic Association does not amend its constitution" by Dec. 10 as per the world body's earlier dictate of barring charge-framed persons from contesting elections, according to the PTI. The IOC rejected the IOA's proposal passed in its Oct. 27 special general body meeting "to refer the cases of charge-framed persons to an internal Ethics Commission instead of barring them from contesting elections and asked it to include a clause in its constitution to provisionally suspend them until a final ruling is made." A letter, written by IOC Dir General Christophe De Kepper and addressed to IOA officials, said, "The specific clause which has been included in Article V (ii)(c); XI(1)(g)(iv); and XXII(v) concerning any IOA member charge-framed by a Court in India with respect to an offence which is of serious nature under Indian Penal Code/Prevention of Corruption Act is not satisfactory and does not meet IOC's requirements expressed in our letter of 5 September 2013." The world body's ultimatum "came after its directives were repeatedly sought to be diluted by the officials of the suspended IOA" and any deviation from the IOC's dictate could now jeopardize India's participation in int'l events (PTI, 11/15). The HINDUSTAN TIMES reported IOA President Abhey Singh Chautala said, "Members will meet and discuss the issue. We will then think of the next step." The IOA's request for a meeting in Lausanne "was also rejected." In its two-page letter, the IOC has mentioned that "it will not compromise on the basic principles of good governance." The letter said, "We are looking ahead at a long-term solution which is beyond personal interests" (HINDUSTAN TIMES, 11/16).
